Movie Info:
Writers: Various
Director: Various
Cast: William Shatner, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, DeForrest Kelley, George Takei, Grace Lee Whitney, Majei Barrett, James Doohan, Leonard Nimoy
Rating: Unrated
Studio: Paramount
Release Info:
Theatrical Release:
DVD Release Date: May 12, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $8.99
I have to admit before officially beginning this review that I am baffled as to why a best of Star Trek is even necessary. Diehard fans of the series already own the box sets, which include all of the episodes for each season and a wealth of special features that will make even the biggest fan giddy. So, why are we at this point? Why is it necessary to offer a collection with a measly four episodes? The short answer and probably the best one, is that the new Star Trek movie is coming out and this is the easiest way to drum up new fans and some added publicity for the franchise.
The problem here has already been stated. True fans already own the box sets. If a person unfamiliar to the show comes along to review this set of episodes they have no clue if they deserve to be on the best of list or not. There are enough episodes to help a person figure out if they want to watch more of the show, or if they want to leave it behind, but there isn’t really enough here to make a fan out of anyone.
In fact, I would wager to say that fans would be insulted by this offering. This is not because the episodes are bad, because they aren’t. It’s more because there is so little here that it’s not really even worth purchasing if you are a fan. I fail to see where this fits and for who, and the fact that I can’t figure that out does not bode well for Paramount or this release.
The The Best Of: Star Trek: The Original Series Plot
Four episodes is what you get here. If you’re a fan you know what to expect. If you’re new to the show, you probably know all you need to know to get started. Star Trek, whether you have seen it or not, is one of the most celebrated and parodied franchises in history. This ensures that people know a great deal about it. The Original Series has a lot to offer, despite it’s campy appeal. In any case, here is information about the four available episodes.
“The City at the Edge of Forever”: This episode is the most impressive edition because it seems to be one of the most popular with fans. Dr. McCoy is in a frenzied, crazed mental state due to a medical accident. He ends up beaming down to a planet and entering the Guardian of Forever doorway. This portal takes him to Chicago in the 1930s. McCoy is followed by Spock and Kirk, who try to find and protect McCoy, while trying to adapt to their obviously different surroundings. This differs from a lot of the episodes because you barely see the Enterprise, but it’s still a worthy offering for a set like this.
“The Trouble with Tribbles”: Captain Kirk is on a mission. That mission is to protect a grain shipment. Unfortunately for him, there are some problems on this mission. He is constantly annoyed by an undersecretary you want to either laugh at or hit and the Klingons are on the trail. As the episode suggests though, there is more bothering Kirk than these two forces. In the end, the trump comes from a bunch of furry punks that love frisky behavior. These guys put bunnies and monkeys to shame.
“Balance of Terror”: This episode has the Enterprise going up against the Romulans spaceship. If you’re new to the show you will quickly learn that the Romulans and the Vulcans could be twins. This is the first time the two races come in contact with one another. One of the most interesting parts of the plot deals with the idea that some of the Enterprise crew think that Spock could be supporting the enemy.
“Amok Time”: The final episode is all about Spock and offers a good deal of information about Vulcans. If you’re a Spock fan you will enjoy this episode that shows the internal struggle that Spock faces. Beyond all this, it is the highly entertaining face off between Kirk and Spock that makes this episode all worthwhile.
Storyline/Plot: 
Replayability:
Acting: 
Directing:
Audio/Visual:
The restoration work managed to make this old series look fairly new again. This 1.33:1 aspect ratio offers an above average full screen quality that I honestly didn’t expect. Fans will appreciate the bright colors, the high level of detail, and the overall quality presented here. I did not notice any major problems. Things like noise and dirt are minimal, if they are present at all. It’s a beautiful transfer for something as old as this series is.
Like the video, the sound works well and makes sure not to disappoint. Dolby Digital 5.1 offers a punchier, more dynamic track than any other option would have. The sound is crisp and clear through the majority of the presentation. I didn’t have issues with volume toggling. In addition to the English audio, there are both Spanish and Portuguese options for Dolby Digital Mono. Audio options are rounded out with subtitles in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Closed Captioning is also available.
Visual:
Audio:
Bonus Features:
When I originally said that this was 4-episode set was a way to drum up attention for the new Star Trek movie, I guess this section proves my point pretty well. There are no special features here unless you count some trailers for the new movie, as special features. As for me, I don’t.
Bonus Features:
Bottom Line:
Star Trek: The Original Series has a lot to offer. The problem is that it cannot be seen in a mere four episodes. When you add the lack of offerings to the lack of special features, there just isn’t a whole lot here to tempt someone into purchasing this. My advice is that if you’re a fan you should buy the series box sets. If you’re not, but think you might want to be a fan then you should rent them. Leave this one alone because while the content is good, the DVD isn’t worth it.
Overall Rating:
Technorati Tags: DVD Review, Star Trek: The Original Series, Best Of, Four Episodes, Set, Rent
